This invention relates generally to location-based services, and more particularly to a platform providing location data to third-party service providers.
Location-based services (LBS) make use of the geographical location of a mobile device, such as a mobile phone, to provide the mobile device with data relevant to the mobile device's geographical location. Providing LBS allows a third-party service provider or wireless service operator to deliver customized content to mobile devices. Data supplied via LBS may identify an entity, such as a person, business or other object that is near the geographic location of the mobile device, providing a mobile device user with data about the surrounding area. Additionally, LBS could allow movement of a mobile device over time to be tracked or transmission of information, such as notifications, alerts or coupons, to the mobile device when it is geographically near a specified location. The tracking of a device is generally used as a proxy to track a person or asset.
The location data determining mobile device geographic location may be obtained using various methods and maintained in different formats. Because of this, different wireless operators and third-party service providers differently calculate and maintain mobile device geographic location data. Additionally, privacy considerations regarding mobile device geographic location data may be affected by contracts, regulations or policies specific to different wireless carriers. Accordingly, mobile device geographic location data is generally separately calculated and maintained by different wireless carriers, requiring third-party service providers offering LBS applications to develop separate applications specific to different wireless carriers. This need to separately develop and maintain wireless carrier-specific applications hinders the development and adoption of LBS applications offered by third-party providers. Further because wireless operators generally do not provide location to Providers, Providers generally need to build location based applications in the form of software downloadable to the mobile device or through proprietary hardware. Providers must generally choose between using Location Data provided by wireless operators or Location Data extracted from the mobile device.